All posts tagged ‘Technic’

No Starch Press recently sent a couple of Lego-related books my way. My son immediately absconded with them, so instead of writing a review myself, I’ve asked him to share his impressions. Here he is:

I’ve had some of No Starch Press’s other books, such as Forbidden Lego and The Unofficial Lego Builder’s Guide which were both great but I wasn’t sure what to expect with The Lego Adventure Book by Megan Rothrock. When I finally got my hands on the book, I figured out what all the fuss on the internet was about. I opened The Lego Adventure Book expecting a very basic look at the AFOL (Adult Fan of Lego) world, with simple creations and strictly legal Lego-approved techniques. I misjudged this book on that front.

Almost as soon as you open the book, the building instructions begin. The author offers step by step instructions on how to build a variety of projects starting with a fun Lego idea lab. Once you’re past that, you’re soon wading knee deep through AFOL-style builds ranging from medieval to sky-fi to town themes. MOCs (My Own Creations) featured in the book are from a variety of different AFOLs from around the globe, a few of whom I’ve had the chance to speak with through my involvement in the online Lego community.

Peter Reid shares his style of building and Jon Hall shares his Sky-Fi Phoenix model. Moritz Nolting shows readers how to build his Power Miners Jackknife MOC and Katie Walker teaches you just how cheesy building mosaics can be!

Image: No Starch Press

While some of the builds in The Lego Adventure Book are simple, the majority of them would be enjoyable to even the most hard-core fan of Lego. If you’re a parent looking for an excuse to play with your childhood Lego again, look no further - The Lego Adventure Book is all you’ll need!

For more skilled builders, check out The Unofficial Technic Builder’s Guideby Pawel “Sariel” Kmiec. I’m no expert with Technic, but this book boggles the mind! The book starts you out with simple mechanisms and rapidly advances into outrageous suspension/Gearbox/drive-train combos. If you’re well versed in how Lego tends to work – or learn quickly – you’ll do just fine with it. Even if you’re an accomplished builder, some of the techniques that Sariel shares are sure to expand your repertoire as a builder.